With sales of almost 2.7 million vehicles in the first 11 months of 2016, the Chinese market continues to the biggest and best-performing for automotive group Volkswagen. This total indicates year-on-year growth for the January-November period of 12.6%.

Growth in China was strong enough to cancel out a decline in sales in most other parts of the world following the emissions scandal that first came to light in September 2015.

Overall, Volkswagen sold just over 5.4 million vehicles during the 11-month period, an increase of 1.6% compared to the same period in 2015. But the upturn in China masks falls of 6.6% in Germany, of 10.3% in the US and of 37.5% in Brazil.

On releasing the figures, sales director, Jürgen Stackmann, pointed out that sales had grown by 7.5% across the world in the month of November. He said that “given the current challenging market environment”, this was “a respectable result” and insisted Volkswagen is on track to “end 2016 on a high note”.